Although it may be something you never think about, metal is a huge part of our lives whether you realise it or not. Especially with modernised designs including a more metallic look, it is known to be everywhere.
However, metal is formed in many different shapes and sizes. How is this possible? Is it controlled by machines or are there different techniques? The metal fabrication process is the cause of all this, but what tools and processes are used/taken? Read on to learn more!
What is Metal Fabrication?
As we’ve briefly discussed, metal fabrication is the act of creating structures from raw metal. This can be any form of metal, such as aluminium, steel, etc. Any type of metal, including the ones on that list, can be shaped in many versatile ways using many different methods.
Common metal fabrication methods will begin well before the production stage, hiring the right metal fabrication services or using the right metal fabrication shop to get the best results for the client.
Not only that but due to the high risk and parts being extremely expensive and solid – each project must be put through policy (or given a quote) to make sure the health and safety actions are on point!
Three Popular Metal Fabrication Techniques
When it comes to metal fabrication processes, there are a multitude of ways to structure and shape your metal. From custom metal fabrication to essential (set in stone) sheet metal fabrication, you will find many different methods. Here are the most common processes in the industry that you will often see:
Cutting
Due to the several amounts of machinery that can be used for general metal fabrication, such as waterjet cutting, laser cutting, plasma cutting, etc – the flexibility of this method is unmatched.
Although it is extremely adaptable, there is still a high level of delicacy and precise cutting that goes into this process. Therefore, making sure qualified staff are hired for the job is necessary.
Typically, cutting will come before other metal fabrication methods as they often begin the project by cutting these large pieces of metal into smaller pieces and or shapes.
Welding
Either after cutting, or using two large pieces of metal – the welding process for a certain design can be used. Welding is the procedure of joining two (or more) pieces of metal together via heat and or pressure.
For this operation, high-tech machinery is needed as a said project may need a very particular shape using these materials.
Machining
Machining typically has two uses when it comes to a successful metal fabrication process. Firstly, you may use a practical method, such as creating the wanted texture or looking for the finishing touches of your intended model.
Or, in the production phase of the scheduled design, you may notice that you need to dispose of a certain material or shape. Using machining permits you to use either milling, drilling or turning to remove a mistake in your conscious plan.
From here, it goes hand in hand with welding as you can use their moulding features to reinvent and fix the mistake that was made.
Check out this blog post to learn more about the tools used to bend metal.